CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho beach volleyball team hosted for the second-straight day competition from throughout the Cascade Collegiate Conference – Bushnell, Corban, Northwest and Southern Oregon. The newest facility at the College of Idaho coupled with sunny skies brought out fans of the participating teams and some exciting beach volleyball action.
Saturday's action began with Corban posting a 5-0 win over Northwest. The Warriors picked up a decisive win as the No. 2 pair of Danae Stokes and Jessica McMillian were winners by a 21-7, 21-9 to put the nationally ranked team ahead 1-0. The next pair to complete its match was the No. 4 tandem of Allyson Reid and Erin Scott, who spoiled the upset bid by the Eagles' Kylie Rankins and Sophia Rice with a 21-17, 13-21, 15-5 win. The Warriors clinched the match when the No. 5 pair of Jordan Faircloth and Payton Bazant were winners by a 21-14, 21-15 margin. Corban also won at No. 3 by a 21-4, 21-13 advantage. The No. 1 pairs was another matchup decided in three with the pair of Megan Dennis and Emma Bischoff came back to win the final two sets for the Warriors for a 21-23, 21-19, 15-11 victory.
Prior to the second match of the day, host College of Idaho recognized its first senior class in program history. The Yotes recognized, Payton Elledge, Clair Hodge and Emily Vandenberg. All three seniors played a role in a 4-1 win over Bushnell. The Beacons took the first pair when the No. 4 duo of Sydney Myhre and Laci Jespersen outlasted Brianna Artmann and Faith Faucher, 19-21, 21-17, 15-8. College of Idaho managed to win the next four pairs in straight sets. The Yotes evened the match at 1 when the No. 2 pair of Liza Montalbo and Emily Vandenberg picked up their team-best fifth win of the season with a 16-21, 21-15, 15-12 victory. The second win of the day came when No. 1 pair Haley McUne and Sydney Dews were winners, 21-9, 21-18 and the third victory on the day was a tightly contested matchup with the No. 3 pair Althea Sandoval and Lauren Gauna recording a 21-18, 22-20 win to clinch the match. The fourth win was when Ellie Baker and Keylee Wilson won at the No. 5 pair by a 21-14, 12-21, 15-9 margin. In an exhibition matchup, seniors Clair Hodge and Payton Elledge were winners, 21-12, 21-19.
The final matchup of the day was one of the most intense matches on the sand at C of I in its brief history. On the court was No. 2 Corban and a Southern Oregon team that is receiving votes nationally. The Raiders started the contest with a win at No. 4 pair with a 18-21, 21-16, 15-10. Corban picked up the next pair when an injury occurred the second set of the No. 2 matchup to even the contest at one. The Warriors went ahead 2-1 when the No. 1 pair Megan Dennis and Emma Bischoff were winners, 21-14 and 21-19. Southern Oregon came back to tie the match at two when the No. 5 pair of Natalie and Natasha Perez won 21-16, 21-11. The matchup was decided at the No. 3 as Emmi Marks and Nicole Bantilian recorded a 21-11, 21-9 victory.
Corban 5, Northwest 0
1. Megan Dennis/Emma Bischoff (CRB) def. Caitlyn James/Carlee Rowell (NU) 21-23, 21-19, 15-11
2. Danae Stokes/Jessica McMillian (CRB) def. Madelynn Culp/Masa Spela Jarc (NU) 21-7, 21-9
3. Emmi Marks/Nicole Bantilan (CRB) def. Brynn Keeling/Charlize Katz (NU) 21-4, 21-13
4. Allyson Reid/Erin Scott (CRB) def. Kylie Rankins/Sophia Rice (NU) 21-17, 13-21, 15-5
5. Jordan Faircloth/Payton Bazant (CRB) def. Kali Dransfeldt/Sydney Faber (NU) 21-14, 21-15
Match Notes:
Order of finish: (2,4,5,3,1);
College of Idaho 4, Bushnell 1
1. Sydney Dews/Haley McUne (CI) def. Halle Neumann/Kate Palelek (BU) 21-9, 21-18
2. Emily Vandenberg/Liza Montalbo (CI) def. Brooke Silvernail/Anessa Stotts (BU) 16-21, 21-15, 15-12
3. Althea Sandoval/Lauren Gauna (CI) def. Courtney Isom/Jedeya Hayes (BU) 21-18, 22-20
4. Sydney Myhre/Laci Jespersen (BU) def. Brianna Artmann/Faith Faucher (CI) 19-21, 21-17, 15-8
5. Ellie Baker/Keylee Wilson (CI) def. Mai Tomlin/Roslyn McLellan (BU) 21-14, 12-21, 15-9
Exhibition: Payton Elledge/Clair Hodge (CI) def. Reagan Walker/Avery Lenssen (BU) 21-12, 21-19
Match Notes:
Order of finish: (4,2,1,3,5)
Corban University 3, Southern Oregon 2
1. Megan Dennis/Emma Bischoff (CRB) def. Madi Gray/Tessa Zimmermann (SOU) 21-14, 21-19
2. Jessica McMillian/Danae Stokes (CRB) def. Grace Gulbrandsen /Taylor Jackson (SOU) 21-18, 16-21, 15-0
3. Emmi Marks/Nicole Bantilan (CRB) def. Kendal Hadwich/Lucretia Benolken (SOU) 21-11, 21-9
4. Skyy Nihpali-Botelho/Annie Hite (SOU) def. Allyson Reid/Erin Scott (CRB) 18-21, 21-16, 15-10
5. Natalie Perez/Natasha (SOU) def. Payton Bazant/Jordan Faircloth (CRB) 21-16, 21-11
Exhibition: Carly-Rose Lederer/Addison Weckerle (SOU) def. Kiley Power/Cammie Masanda (CRB) 21-19, 21-13
Match Notes:
Order of finish: (4,2,1,5,3)
Next, College of Idaho will host local rival and NCAA Division I foe, Boise State on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Earier in the day, the Yotes will host College of Southern Idaho at 1 p.m. CSI will begin the match with a contest against Boise State at 11 a.m.